Results 25,761-25,780 of 34,871 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Topical Issues: HIQA Reports (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I appreciate the Minister’s reply and accept his sincerity. He will appreciate there is no issue of this being a political matter. This is about people’s and young children’s lives, as well as patient safety. That transcends everything we do in this House. One concern I have, however, is the Minister said the action plan will be implemented immediately and...

Topical Issues: HIQA Reports (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on a very sad and difficult issue for everybody involved at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise. We must primarily hold in our thoughts the five infants who are no longer with us as a result of incidents in the maternity unit in Portlaoise, and the devastation it has caused to their families. I thank the families for their courage in...

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: On a point of order, the Minister referred in his reply to Mr. Eddie Hobbs, who is a private citizen. We are regularly told by the Chair -----

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I know that. I would have made my point of order if I was not interrupted.

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: The point of order is -----

Other Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I am not making a political point. I am asking the Chair to consider the issue of Ministers referring to private citizens by name. Other Deputies get chastised for doing so.

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: 192. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the receipts for each year from 2011 to 2014 and to date in 2015, and the estimate for 2015, from the sale of State assets; the manner in which these funds have been deployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18236/15]

Other Questions: Sale of State Assets (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: Am I correct to say that there were no receipts in 2012 and 2013? The Minister outlined the figures for 2014 and 2015. The revenue from ESB came from the sale of some of its power plants located abroad. They were proceeds in lieu of sale. Some of the dividends from Ervia came through in 2014 and an additional €100 million came through this year. The Minister indicated that the...

Other Questions: Ombudsman's Remit (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: Last February I submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister asking him when An Bord Pleanála and Eirgrid would be brought within the remit of the Ombudsman. His reply was that An Bord Pleanála and Eirgird had never been scheduled and, as such, were never within the Ombudsman's remit. Anyone listening to him today would think that with 180 bodies listed, everyone was...

Other Questions: Ombudsman's Remit (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: There is probably much common ground between the Minister and me on this issue. I am not asking for people to have another route to appeal a specific planning decision-----

Other Questions: Ombudsman's Remit (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: -----but that the administrative aspects be open to review by the Ombudsman. Eirgrid is not dealing with the public on its commercial activity, while the Environmental Protection Agency has a key role to play. The Minister mentioned the Courts Service, which is generally exempt, except where it relates to an action taken in the performance of administrative functions under section 5 of the...

Other Questions: Ombudsman's Remit (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: 189. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to extend the role of the Ombudsman to cover State bodies not currently within its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18240/15]

Other Questions: Ombudsman's Remit (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I would like to ask the Minister about a different topic, as his Department is wide-ranging. What are his plans to extend the role of the Ombudsman to cover State bodies not currently within its remit? I know the Minister will say that he has extended the Ombudsman's remit but the legislation has a Schedule of exempted agencies which run to more than 110 organisations. When can we get some...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: 185. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if additional resources for front-line services will be a priority in the allocation of any leeway in the public finances in the years ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18371/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: In light of the spring statement, will additional resources for front-line services be a priority in the allocation of any leeway in the public finances for the years ahead? Will the Minister specifically make a statement on restoring and improving front-line services?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: The Minister mentioned figures but with every previous statement on education he spoke of demographic issues and increases in the number of pupils attending schools. He has spoken about extra teachers but the Government is not maintaining the pupil-teacher ratio; that has now deteriorated. There are 27% of children in classrooms with 30 or more pupils around the country. Despite the extra...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Budget Targets (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: When it comes to a Supplementary Estimate, Fianna Fáil and I will always support the Government where it will improve the health service. We will oppose the Government completely if the Supplementary Estimate is a cover-up for a flawed Estimate that was introduced in the first place. With most of what the Government introduced last year, we told the Minister on budget day that the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I understand that the Minister is not able to commit himself to any details and I was not really expecting him to do so as nobody could realistically expect that. He must, however, be going into the talks with some overall objectives and we did not hear about them in his reply. The Minister will agree that every family has suffered financially in the past eight years and all families in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: I put on record my thanks to the Minister for acknowledging the great work done by the previous Government in introducing the FEMPI legislation which, as he said, has underpinned the reductions in public sector pay by correcting the national finances. I welcome his acknowledgement of the great achievements in that area under the Croke Park Agreement, even though an agreement was very...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Pay (12 May 2015)

Seán Fleming: 182. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his objectives for the forthcoming talks on public sector pay and conditions; his proposed timescale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18370/15]